Worthy in jeopardy of missing training camp

Feb. 22, 2013

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The torn anterior cruciate ligament in Jerel Worthy’s left knee could cost the Green Bay Packers’ defensive lineman his second professional training camp.

At the NFL scouting combine on Friday, Packers coach Mike McCarthy wouldn’t rule Worthy out for next season, but didn’t sound overly optimistic the team’s 2012 second-round draft choice would be back for training camp after suffering the injury in the regular-season finale against Minnesota.

Worthy played as many snaps as any Packers’ defensive lineman, but was relatively quiet leading up to the injury with only 14 tackles and 2˝ sacks in 14 appearances.

The injury to the 6-foot-2, 308-pound defensive lineman raises the question if the Packers would consider using another high pick to address the unit with Ryan Pickett and B.J. Raji both in the last year of their contacts, but McCarthy is still holding out hope for Worthy.

“I think training camp is definitely going to be a stretch just because of the timing of his injury,” McCarthy said. “Once again, he has to go through the rehab process and get healthy. I like a lot of the things he did. He brings a lot of energy. There are a lot of things he can improve on and I definitely think he can be one of those players who makes a jump in year two.”

The Packers suffered a rash of injuries as the season wore on – something McCarthy said the organization has already been looking at and dissecting.

Among those causalities were former first-round tackle Derek Sherrod and tight end Andrew Quarless, who have been spending time at team facilities going through rehab with the hope of returning for organized team activities.

While Sherrod remained on the physically unable to perform list after breaking his leg in Week 15 of the 2011 season against Kansas City, Quarless made a mideseason return from his own ACL and MCL injury, but constant swelling kept him out of games and eventually landed him on injured reserve.

The Packers are equally optimistic right tackle Bryan Bulaga will be able to make a full recovery from the hip injury he sustained in Week 9 of last season, but the decision on whether the team needs to burn another high pick on the offensive line likely will come down to Sherrod’s health.

“I know it’s magnified because of where Derek was drafted, but the reality is he’s coming through an injury,” McCarthy said. “He needs to get back out there and compete, but he can’t do that until he gets healthy. It’s unfortunate. I understand once again where he was drafted brings magnitude to the focus, but I still have a lot of confidence that when he does have the opportunity he’ll be a productive player for us.”